Agenda and draft minutes

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method.  Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting.  Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on.  By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings and this information was noted.

The Planning Committee abides by the Council’s Planning Protocol 2025.  The planning system manages the use and development of land and buildings.  The overall aim of the system is to ensure a balance between enabling development to take place and conserving and protecting the environment and local amenities.  Planning can also help tackle climate change and overall seeks to create better public places for people to live, work and play.  It is important that the public understand that the committee makes planning decisions in this context.  These decisions are rarely simple and often involve balancing competing priorities.  Councillors and officers have a duty to ensure that the public are consulted, involved and where possible, understand the decisions being made.

Neither the number of objectors or supporters nor the extent of their opposition or support are of themselves material planning considerations.

The Planning Committee is held as a meeting in public and not a public meeting.  The right to speak from the floor is agreed beforehand in consultation with officers and the Chair.  Any interruptions from the public may mean that the Chamber needs to be cleared.

The Chair referred to the planning protocol and this information was noted.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Worrell, Cllr Ibrahim and Cllr Emery.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 10 below.

There were no items of urgent business.

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Cllr Collet declared an interest in relation to the pre application briefing as she lived in the ward of Coburg but would view the item with an open mind.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Planning Sub Committee held on 8^th December as a correct record.

RESOLVED

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Planning Sub Committee held on 8^th December as a correct record.

The following items are pre-application presentations to the Planning Sub-Committee and discussion of proposals.

Notwithstanding that this is a formal meeting of the Sub-Committee, no decision will be taken on the following items and any subsequent applications will be the subject of a report to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee in accordance with standard procedures.

The provisions of the Localism Act 2011 specifically provide that a Councillor should not be regarded as having a closed mind simply because they previously did or said something that, directly or indirectly, indicated what view they might take in relation to any particular matter.  Pre-application briefings provide the opportunity for Members to raise queries and identify any concerns about proposals.

The Members’ Code of Conduct and the Planning Protocol 2016 continue to apply for pre-application meeting proposals even though Members will not be exercising the statutory function of determining an application.  Members should nevertheless ensure that they are not seen to pre-determine or close their mind to any such proposal otherwise they will be precluded from participating in determining the application or leave any decision in which they have subsequently participated open to challenge.

Valerie Okeiyi, Principal Planning Officer, opened the item for the item for redevelopment of the site with the erection of a 22 storey building with 8 storey wing, and a 14 storey building with 6 storey wing, to provide 150 social rent dwellings along with double height flexible workspace (539 sqm). The proposal also includes landscaped public realm. The applicant presented their proposed scheme to the committee.

The following was noted in response to questions from the committee:

· Every flat would have a balcony or a terrace, including these on the ground floor.

· Members noted the design and usage of white bricks.

· The applicant stated that the offer of the workspace had not changed it would always be flexible, and affordable where possible. The chocolate factory phase 1 workspace was vacant and it was challenging to occupy the unit. The applicant wanted to ensure that there was the greatest flexibility for the use of the space, to ensure it is occupied, and to enliven the street frontage.

· The applicant considered that the colours of the bricks were much richer in reality (than the visuals presented) and there was a much greater depth to the facade. There would be bricks used that developers had used many times before on different projects. The applicant sought a warm toned brick and Page 1 Agenda Item 6 there were two colours. They considered it to be a high quality design and stated that they had worked hard on the elevations and window proportions to deal with issues of daylight and overheating. There would be integrated roller blinds into all of the windows.

· The applicant stated that they had tried to make the elevation appear as slim and elegant as possible.

· The QRP had offered another session which would be focused on the elevations; but Officers agreed that the applicant had sufficiently addressed QRP comments.

· There would be 10% wheelchair homes in the development.

· Only one proposed home would be single aspect.

· The homes that would be two bed and below were all to have open plan kitchen diners, and then the three and four beds would generally have separate kitchen diners.

· In terms of the overall colour palette, the applicant considered it reflected adjacent historic buildings using a green brick and green metal work. The Chocolate Factory was quite a big influence on the design as a sizeable white rendered building in the local area, but the usage of bricks was proposed to promote longevity.

 · The QRP panel talked about having the Penstock Tunnel painted and renovated. Members wondered if one of the commercial units could be given free to an artist to complete renovations and also that use of a workspace to provide playspace to serve the development might be possible.

· The committee would like to put Haringey on the map in terms of the quality of design of properties that are being built.

To advise of major proposals in the pipeline including those awaiting the issue of the decision notice following a committee resolution and subsequent signature of the section 106 agreement; applications submitted and awaiting determination; and proposals being discussed at the pre-application stage.

There were no queries on the report. The Chair noted that any queries could be directed to the Head of Development Management.

RESOLVED

To note the report.

To advise the Planning Committee of decisions on planning applications taken under delegated powers for the period 01.11.2025 – 31.12.2025.

There were no queries on the report. The Chair noted that any queries could be directed to the Head of Development Management.

RESOLVED

To note the report.

There were no new items of urgent business.

To note the date of the next meeting as 5^th February.

It was noted that the date of the next meeting was 5^th February.